Airbus secures whopping 180 plane deal

Airbus is celebrating the "biggest single order in commercial aviation history" today, having secured a Memorandum of Understanding from Indian operator IndiGo for 180 Airbus A320s.

Louis Gallois, chief executive of Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), enthused to the press: "It is the best way to start the year. I can't underestimate the size and importance of this deal."

The bulk of the $15.6bn order is for 150 examples of the forthcoming A320neo, which from 2016 will offer customers "new, more efficient engines and large wingtip devices called Sharklets delivering significant fuel savings of up to 15 per cent".

"Ordering more A320s was the natural choice to meet India’s growing flying needs. The opportunity to reduce costs and to further improve our environmental performance through the A320neo were key to our decision.”

Reuters describes the deal as "an early blow in for Airbus in the annual battle with US rival Boeing for sales supremacy", and EADS shares hit a three-year high as the news broke. Reuters has further analysis here, while you can find the Airbus press release here. ®